MANILA, Philippines--The Department of Transportation and Communications (DoTC) said it bid out the P100-million second stage of the airport expansion project in Puerto Princesa City, capital of the western island province of Palawan, sooner than first estimated.
The DoTC said in a statement that the submission and opening of bid documents for Phase 2 for the renovation and expansion of the passenger terminal of Puerto Princesa Airport would be held on April 28 instead of May as originally scheduled.
The department has also moved to alleviate the reported warm temperature inside the existing terminal.
Transportation and Communications Secretary Leandro Mendoza has ordered “the immediate installation of at least four three- or five-ton air-conditioning units at the pre-departure area of the existing passenger terminal,” the department said.
The airport has long been on the priority list for expansion, but work started only last year, it said.
The first stage of expansion, which the DoTC said cost almost P30 million, was bid out last year and was finished last January.
DoTC project designer Art Balderas said that with the completion of the first stage, the terminal’s floor area was expanded to 21 meters by 81.5 meters from 16 meters by 81.5 meters.
The second stage will cover completion of the extension and rehabilitation of the terminal. It will also cover air-conditioning, plumbing, electrical works, fire alarm, communications system, and waste and drainage system.
It is being funded with shares of royalty from the Malampaya gas field off Palawan.
The DoTC said it had signed a memorandum of agreement with the Department of Energy in June 2007.
“The mechanics on the fund transfer to DoTC was not formalized until November 2007. This was one of the reasons for the delay in the implementation of Phase 2,” the DoTC said. Edited by INQUIRER.net
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